Strawberries and Clouds: Ginny's Homework
by Maelwaedd
Summary: Hermione helps Ginny with her homework. HrG fluff.


A/N: This is a one-off. Reposted because last time's layout was tragic. My apologies. The characters do not belong to me.  
  
Strawberries and Clouds: Ginny's Homework  
  
Two books banged together loudly, startling Ginny out of her half-asleep reverie. She blinked at the noise and rolled onto her side, viewing her lover through her eyelashes as Hermione threw another book to the ground. Ginny reached out a pale arm, her long fingers smoothing Hermione's hair back from her forehead.  
  
"What happened?" Sleepy concern laced her words.  
  
"This stupid-" Hermione swore for a long moment, about Potions class, NEWTs, and sunflowers.  
  
"Sunflowers, kitten?" Ginny raised herself onto her elbow, thought better of it, and rested her head in Hermione's lap. The older girl combed her fingers through the long red strands absently.  
  
"Sunflowers. Sunflowers and bloody-I don't know! I was sick Harry and Ron took notes, and I have to try and work under these conditions! I can't find any reference to sunflowers or anything to do with the sun, really, in any Potions text. I can't believe I trusted those incompetents!" She literally threw her hands up, eliciting a squeak from Ginny, whose hair was caught between the fingers of those hands.  
  
"Oh, I'm sorry, love!" Hermione stroked Ginny's hair down once more, contrition shining from her eyes. Ginny traced Hermione's cheekbone with gentle fingers.  
  
"It's okay. you can make it up to me." She smiled at the glint in her lover's eyes.  
  
"How?" Ginny feigned a pout.  
  
"I'm hungry," she whined. Hermione's eyes widened.  
  
"Oh?" She grinned like a naughty child. "Is that why you're not doing your Divination homework?"  
  
"I'm too hungry to study."  
  
"I have an apple here, if you want it." Ginny wrinkled her nose.  
  
"I don't like apples."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah." Ginny looked a little startled at the direction of the conversation. "I like berries?" she added, as a suggestion.  
  
"What kind?" Ginny thought for a moment.  
  
"Strawberries," she said decisively.  
  
"Strawberries! But-they're not in season!" Ginny shrugged.  
  
"I'm hungry for strawberries, Mione. I'll starve without them!" Hermione snorted, and Ginny's hunger was distracted somewhat: how could anyone snort and look cute?  
  
"Sit up, then, hold out your hands." Ginny raised her eyebrows, but complied. She sat close by Hermione, who placed the unwanted apple in her cupped hands. She closed her eyes; she felt the slight pressure of Hermione's wand rest against the top of the apple, and half-heard the mumbled word. Small fruits tumbled from her cupped hands, and she quickly opened her eyes again, a small delighted squeak slipping from her lips.  
  
"How's that?" Hermione asked, wearing the proud expression that Ginny only ever got to see when Hermione did something particularly right.  
  
"Perfect! Except-there's no bowl."  
  
"Use your hands, lazy." Hermione smiled indulgently. "Your hands make a perfect bowl.  
  
"I can't eat them if I'm holding them!"  
  
"Yes you can." Ginny opened her mouth to retort, and found the red tip of a strawberry pressed between her lips. She mumbled a pleased sound, and sucked on it for a moment, before nipping it into her mouth.  
  
"Happy now?" Hermione asked, feeding her another.  
  
"Yep!" Ginny swallowed and grinned, holding her mouth open suggestively for another.  
  
"Brat," Hermione laughed, pushing Ginny back to lay in the grass, and kissing her.  
  
"Oomph, Hermione! The strawberries!" Hermione raised her eyebrows as Ginny scrabbled about for the little fruits. She flicked her wand and banished them beyond the younger girl's reach.  
  
"You can have more when you've done your homework."  
  
"Mione!"  
  
"I'm serious." A pout. "Really. What do you have to do?" Another pout.  
  
"Look at the clouds. Apparently 'the heavens shall reveal to the diligent observer his'-or her-'true self'." Hermione rolled off Ginny and snuggled against her shoulder.  
  
"So what are you looking for?"  
  
"An animal, I think. Your true self is apparently represented as an animal. Or something. I'm supposed to find a cloud in the shape of an animal, and write seven inches." Hermione sighed, exasperated.  
  
"Divination!" she declared, simply. Ginny nodded, wispy strands of her hair tickling Hermione's face.  
  
"I know. But it must be done, I suppose. For strawberries." She lay silently for a moment, then pointed. "How about that?"  
  
"Which?"  
  
"There. I think it's a dragon."  
  
"That's not a dragon. That's. a badger."  
  
"I'm not Hufflepuff, Mione. Anyway, that looks nothing like a badger."  
  
"A rabbit, then. How about that? Your true self is a fluffy white bunny." Ginny took a breath for a retort, then stopped.  
  
"Okay."  
  
"Okay?"  
  
"Okay. It's a bunny. I can write seven inches on that. Rabbits have a strong mythology, you know." She grinned. "Strawberry time!" 


End file.
